Sparking-igniter for explosive-engines.



I NITED STATES.

PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE s. STRONG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOHN P. MURPHY, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPARKINGQ-IGNITER FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGINE.

eseeimexmn forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,302, dated November21, 189.

brignal application filed December 15, 1898, Serial No- 699,312. Dividedand this application filed May 5, 1899. Serial liti- 715 697- (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. STRONG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica,- residing in the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Igniters forGas-Engines, of which the following is a true and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a partthereof.

1 My invention relates to an electrical-spark igniter for gas-engines,and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and efficientigniter of this description and one in which both noise and shock fromand upon 5 rapidly-moving parts are avoided.

The nature of my improvements will be best understood as described inconnection with the drawings in which they are illustrated, and in whichFigure l is a sectional view through the head of a gas-engine cylinderand the igniter working in connection therewith, the parts beingrepresented in their normal position of rest; and Fig. 2 is a similarview, the parts 5 being represented in the position in which thecontact-points of the igniter are in contact with each other in theposition they occupy immediately before the separation to produce aspark.

3 P indicates the head of the gas-engine cylinder, having water-passagesformed in it, as is shown, and also having the perforations P and P P 10are non-conducting thimbles secured in the opposite ends of theperforation P and supporting the conducting-rod Q, the outer end ofwhich is placed by a conductor (not shown) in communication with onepole of the battery or generator, while the inner end 4 Q, extendinginto the head a of the cylinder,

is curved, as shown, and provided with a contact-point q. n

p is a non-conducting liner fitting in the perforation P and, as shown,extending for some distance above the outer end of the perforation, butnot extending entirely to the inner end of the perforation, thusproviding a cylindrical chamber P immediately adjacent to thecylinder-head a. The outer end of the 5 liner p is slotted, as indicatedat 19 Q is a conducting-rod fitting and longitudinally movable in theliner p and provided at its outer end with a key, as indicated at Q saidkey fitting in the slot or slots p and preventing the rod Q from turningin the liner. To the inner end of the rod Q is secured an elastic fingerQ having at its outer end a contact-point 1 so placed and arranged as tocome in contact with the contact-point q when the rod Q is thrust inwardto the position indicated in Fig. 2, the elastic finger Q being soshaped as to insure contact with some pressure. Also secured to theinner end of the rod Q is a piston-like extension Q arranged to make anice fit with the cyl- 6 inder Q, already described. As shown, the outerend of the rod Q is provided with a head L between which and the outerface of the casting P is secured a spring L acting to force the rod Qoutward. Pressure 7:3 to force the rod inward is applied by a cam or anyother convenient device acting on the head of the rod Q or its cap L Itwill be understood, of course, that the rod Q is connected by aconductor with the opposite pole of the battery or generator to thatconnected with the rod Q.

In operation the rod Q is forced inward to the position indicated inFig. 2, is then released, and the spring L draws it rapidly 8o outward,a spark occurring when the contactpoints q and q break contact with eachother. After the formation of the spark-the rod Q is drawn to theposition indicated in Fig. 1; but before reaching that position thepiston Q enters the cylinder P and is cushioned on the air in saidcylinder, so that the latter part of its movement is checked and allnoise and destructive shock avoided.

My improved igniter, as above described, 0 is especially designed,although not exclusively adapted, for use in connection with'my improvedgas-engine forming the subjectmatter of my application for LettersPatent, Serial No. 699,312, filed December 15, 1898, of which saidspecification this case is a division.

Having now described my invention, what i I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-= In a gas engine, an electric igniterconsist- Ioo ing of a fixed electrode as q in combination with a tubularpassage leading into the head of the engine-cylinder and having anenlarged cylindrical end P an electrode-rod Q moving in the tubularpassage P and having a cylindrical enlargement Q adapted to fit incylinder P when the rod Q is in retracted position, an electrode gsecured on rod Q and adapted to contact with electrode q when the rod Qis thrust inward and a spring 10 for retracting the electrode-rod aftercontact is made, all substantially as described, and whereby theretracting rod is cushioned.

GEORGE S. STRONG.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. MYERS, D. STEWART.

